DR Ramasjang

DR Ramasjang is a Danish public-service children's television channel operated by DR, Denmark's national public broadcaster. The channel is designed primarily for children and has been described as serving an audience from approximately three to thirteen years old, with its original launch positioning focused especially on younger school-age children. Its name comes from the Danish word “ramasjang,” meaning a noisy, lively or festive commotion, a term that reflects the channel's playful identity. The idea for a dedicated DR children's channel emerged in 2005 during preparations for Denmark's 2006 media settlement. The initial plan linked a daytime children's service with a history channel intended for evening broadcasting. During the preparation period, DR consolidated its children's programming division, DR B&U, in Aarhus. Signe Lindkvist, who had already participated in a range of children's programmes, became channel editor in 2008. The plans later changed so that the children's and historical concepts would occupy separate channel spaces, and the proposed history channel was ultimately abandoned. The channel name was publicly revealed in March 2009. At launch, DR Ramasjang was planned to broadcast every day from 5:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m. and to target children aged three to ten, with particular attention to the seven-to-ten age group. It began broadcasting on 1 November 2009. Distribution included digital terrestrial and satellite television, and the channel was treated as a must-carry service for cable networks, supporting broad availability in Denmark. DR Ramasjang's schedule combines Danish original productions with imported children's programmes, films and event programming. Foreign content is dubbed into Danish. Examples associated with the channel include Barbapapa, Peppa Pig, the film Kiki's Delivery Service, and children's music events such as MGP and MGP Nordic. The channel's programming model combines entertainment with a strong domestic-language and public-service orientation, giving Danish children access to locally produced presenters, formats and characters alongside international content. The channel also developed a distinctive overnight presentation. After the planned broadcasting hours, viewers were shown repeated footage of hosts sleeping together with a message indicating when DR Ramasjang would wake up again. This became the practical replacement for the earlier idea of using evening hours for a separate history service. DR has also operated a radio station under the DR Ramasjang name; that radio service ran from 1 November 2009 until 31 December 2014. In 2021, the channel attracted controversy concerning the premise of the claymation children's series John Dillermand. The issue became one of the most visible public discussions associated with the brand, although the channel continued operating as part of DR's children's media offering. Today, DR Ramasjang remains a Denmark-focused children's media brand spanning scheduled television and DR's broader digital distribution environment, with its identity built around Danish-language programming, playful presentation and public-service access for children.

DR Ramasjang was developed as part of DR's response to changes in Denmark's public-service media framework. DR presented the idea of a dedicated children's channel in 2005, while preparations were being made for the 2006 media settlement. The original concept paired daytime children's broadcasting with a history channel that would use the same broader channel arrangement in the evening. This reflected an attempt to expand DR's specialist public-service offer without initially assigning a full service exclusively to children's programming. The children's initiative was strengthened institutionally when DR concentrated its children's programming division, DR B&U, in Aarhus. In 2008, Signe Lindkvist was appointed channel editor. Her appointment gave the project a named editorial lead as DR moved from a general proposal toward a defined channel identity and schedule. During this period, the plans changed: the children's service and the history concept were assigned separate channel spaces, and the history-channel proposal was eventually dropped. The name DR Ramasjang was announced in March 2009. The word “ramasjang” is Danish for a lively disturbance, uproar or festive commotion, making it a deliberate expression of the channel's energetic and playful tone. The launch plan called for daily broadcasting from 5:00 a.m. until 8:00 p.m. and identified children aged three to ten as the core audience, with particular emphasis on those aged seven to ten. The channel went on air on 1 November 2009. DR Ramasjang was distributed through digital terrestrial and satellite television and was regarded as a must-carry channel for cable operators. This distribution model supported its role as a broadly accessible national public-service service rather than a narrowly targeted subscription channel. The schedule included Danish productions as well as imported programmes and films. International material was dubbed into Danish, helping maintain a consistent language environment for its young audience. Programming examples included animated or preschool-oriented series such as Barbapapa and Peppa Pig, films such as Kiki's Delivery Service, and children's music events including MGP and MGP Nordic. The channel's presentation style extended beyond individual programmes. Since the proposed historical evening service was not created, DR Ramasjang used repeated footage of hosts sleeping after the daytime schedule, accompanied by a message telling viewers when the channel would wake up. This became a recognizable part of the service's daily rhythm and reinforced its child-focused personality. DR also operated a radio station under the DR Ramasjang name from 1 November 2009 to 31 December 2014. The television brand continued separately. In 2021, the channel became the subject of controversy over John Dillermand, a claymation children's series built around an unusual bodily-humour premise. The controversy represented a significant public debate about editorial judgment and age-appropriate children's content. Despite that episode, DR Ramasjang remained an active DR children's channel and a central Danish-language platform for children's entertainment and public-service programming.

1. 2021John Dillermand controversy

   The channel faced public controversy over the premise of the claymation series John Dillermand.

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2. 2014Ramasjang radio service closes

   The radio service carrying the DR Ramasjang name ended on 31 December 2014.

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3. 2009Channel name announced

   DR disclosed the name DR Ramasjang in March and set out an intended daily schedule focused on children.

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4. 2009Television channel launches

   DR Ramasjang began broadcasting on 1 November 2009 through digital terrestrial and satellite distribution.

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5. 2008Signe Lindkvist appointed channel editor

   Signe Lindkvist became channel editor as DR prepared the new children's service.

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6. 2006Media settlement outlines children's broadcasting plan

   The 2006 settlement described a plan under which children's programming would occupy daytime broadcasting, alongside a proposed evening history service.

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7. 2005Dedicated children's-channel proposal developed

   DR presented an idea for a dedicated children's television channel while preparing for Denmark's forthcoming media settlement.

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A Danish public-service children's media brand combining locally produced programming, Danish-language versions of international content, animation, films and children's events.

• DR Ramasjang television channelChildren's television channel2009

  The core DR Ramasjang service is a Danish public-service television channel for children. It broadcasts a mixture of Danish productions, dubbed international programmes, films and special events. Its original schedule was designed for daily broadcasting from early morning to evening, with the channel positioned as a widely available national service.

• MGP and MGP Nordic programmingChildren's music events

  DR Ramasjang carries children's music-event programming associated with MGP and MGP Nordic. These programmes broaden the channel's offer beyond regular series and create event-oriented entertainment built around young performers and music.

• Danish-dubbed imported programmesImported children's programming2009

  The channel broadcasts selected foreign children's programmes in Danish-dubbed versions. Examples identified in reference material include Barbapapa and Peppa Pig, allowing international properties to fit the channel's Danish-language public-service environment.

• John DillermandClaymation children's series

  John Dillermand is a claymation children's series associated with DR Ramasjang. Its unusual premise led to controversy in 2021 concerning the appropriateness and editorial framing of the concept for children.

• DR Ramasjang radioChildren's radio service2009

  DR operated a radio station using the Ramasjang name from the television brand's launch in 2009 until the service ended on 31 December 2014.

• 2009Launch of DR RamasjangProduct launch

  DR had developed a dedicated children's channel through its media-settlement planning and preparation of its children's programming division.

  What changed. DR launched DR Ramasjang on 1 November 2009 with a daily schedule aimed at children.

  Aftermath. The service became a widely distributed Danish public-service children's channel carried through terrestrial, satellite and cable television systems.

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• 2006Daytime children's channel concept selectedStrategy

  DR's 2006 media-settlement planning included a children's service intended to broadcast during the day, initially alongside a proposed history channel in the evening.

  What changed. DR proceeded with the children's-channel concept and later separated it from the history-channel proposal.

  Aftermath. The history-channel idea was eventually abandoned, while the children's service developed into DR Ramasjang.

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• 2021Controversy over John DillermandControversy

  DR Ramasjang faced controversy over the unusual premise of the claymation children's series John Dillermand. The discussion focused on whether the concept was appropriate for a children's audience and became the most prominent controversy identified in the available reference material.

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• 2014DR Ramasjang radio service ends

  DR's radio station using the Ramasjang name operated from the television channel's launch until 31 December 2014.

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• 2009DR Ramasjang launches as a dedicated Danish children's channel

  DR Ramasjang began broadcasting on 1 November 2009 after several years of planning within DR's media-settlement process.

  Product launch
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1. DR Ramasjang
2. DR Ramasjang official website